I see the following stances taken by the respective sides within Sri Lanka and comment on their respective positions.
The Government
It is clear on the outside that the Govt. of Sri Lanka is taking measures to ensure that this resolution is defeated at Geneva, as they do not believe it requires a resolution for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations. It is also clear that there is an element of pressure from the respective electoral bases in the US Canada, UK, Norway, France and even India for this resolution to succeed and these electoral bases are seen by those in Sri Lanka as still with an LTTE mindset, namely a separate state being the only alternative. The flip side being that if there was no Tamil Diaspora then this resolution would not have been brought in the first place. I tend to agree with that point of view because there are violations that take place all the time and due to the aggrieved not having a voice in the country that is powerful enough to bring such resolutions, they are then left in abeyance.
The law in that sense does not apply equally to all. On the other hand I do not believe it is a reason in itself not to hold countries to account for International crimes to which they are signatories. We must remember that the LTTE was not a signatory so their crimes whilst being more heinous over a longer period are not held to the same standard. That is where I have a problem when the apologists for the government use the LTTE crimes as their point of comparison, and in that I have taken the position that it is treacherous to give the LTTE the same level of credibility as the Govt. of Sri Lanka.
The mushrooming organizations such as yesterday’s committee to save the nation that organized the Adishtana Pooja at the CMC grounds is all part of the campaign by the govt. to shore up sagging support for its other policies. It is easy to gather people for such events especially when the enemy is unseen. (foreign) I am of the opinion that whilst the brainwashed turned up out of choice the intelligent turned up with reserve not to seem unpatriotic, not willingly!
The main opposition UNP
The official line is that they are not involved in something that is of the govt. doing and not that of the Country as a whole. So it is not for them to comment on it, until a resolution is actually reached whereupon they will support the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC. I believe that is the best line to take. Why should the UNP defend a Govt. that made so many mistakes since the end of hostilities to deal with this international allegation there and then and NOT drag the country to this state 3 years later, when we have more important matters of state to face. It is simply the govt. that should take all the blame for even the resolution being tabled, and it should not be for them to defend the Govt. for something that could have been avoided. Why the country is called upon to blame this on a western LTTE Diaspora conspiracy when it was expected all this time is beyond me, after the Govt. decided to pretend no crimes were committed?
Tamil National Alliance
They are toeing the Diaspora line, that the Resolution MUST be passed. This is the only way that there MAY be a likelihood of the Sri Lankan Govt. implementing at least some of the very limited recommendations without delay. It is not enough, but at least solace for their suffering. They have been able to persuade Tamil Nadu politicians who in turn have twisted the arm of the Indian Government to support the Resolution, instead of abstaining, as being the only way the Tamils in the North and East may receive some sort of fair treatment, which hitherto has been absent.
The TNA taking this stand has drawn a line in the sand, where the Sinhala people believe that anyone opposing the resolution is unpatriotic. This flies in the face of the TNA and majority Tamils in the North and East who support this alliance. This has polarized the two communities. There is an argument that it in itself is cause for a reopening of the past divisions in the country, whereas the TNA will argue that it is merely protecting the interests of their community and the premise used by the likes of the JHU is wrong, incendiary, without proof and most of all racist.
In Conclusion, I believe the Government of Sri Lanka MUST take full responsibility, along with the principal accused in the case, namely the President and the Defense Secretary who have done immeasurable harm to the country by their intransigence and should be held solely accountable. The Army Commander is receiving his own justice as another who is implicated for different reasons.
Conclusion
Ironically in this Charade of the UNHRC that has been dogged by their singular inability to be effective in reducing Human Rights Violations around the world, the only winner whichever way the vote goes is the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse.
The losers in either case will be the people of Sri Lanka of all communities who have to undergo tyranny in the face of increasing odds, not assisted no less by the International Community. That is the irony and most of all the tragedy of this wasted effort.
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